Improved buckle



'rAres ArtNr rtree.

L. W. PERKINS, OF BELOI'I, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVED BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L. W. PERKINS, of Beloit, Rock county, in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles for Harness and Similar Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the followin gis a clear, full, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specication, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of my improved buckle, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

The nature of my invention consists in a novel manner of constructing the frame and lever ot a buckle so that force applied to the strap will cause the lever to hold it tight, and also in a method of adjusting the buckle to suit straps of varying thickness.

To enable others to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the frame of the buckle, the general form of which is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This frameA is made solid, with acrossbar, a, located as shown, to form a fulcrum for the lever B. About midway between the crossbar u and the front end of the fra-me A there is another cross-bar, C, located as shown in Fig. l, and having its surface corrugated or roughened to give ita firm hold upon the strap.

B represents the tongue or lever, which is made of the form shown in Fig. l, and of proper width to fill the frame A crosswise. rlhis lever B has a projection on its under surface, with a circular groove to form a bearing for it upon the cross-bar a, its rear end being curved, as shown, where the strap presses upon it. At the front end the lever B is provided with a right-angled recess, forming a seat for a movable jaw, D, which is held therein by means of one or more ears, o, which protrude through holes in the front end of the lever B, where it is secured by a pin, z', passing through it, as shown in Fig. l. The upper face of the jaw D is corrugated or ronghened the saine as that of C.

In order to adjust the buckle to straps of different thicknesses, a series of thin plates or strips, e, is interposed between the jaw D and the lever B. By withdrawing the pini and removing the jaw D these strips e can be increased or decreased in number, as may be desired, and thus the space between the face of the jaws C and D can be varied as desired. The strap being inserted between the jaws G and D is passed thence back over the end of the lever B and under the cross-bar b. When force is applied to the strap the long end of the lever B is pressed down thereby, which throws the jaw on the oppositeend of the lever up, thus holding the strap securely and tight between the roughened surfaces of thejaws O and D.

In this manner I produce a very strong and efficient buckle, readily adjusted to suit straps of any thickness, and that can be much more readily released from the strap when desired to take up or let out the same, it only being necessary to loosen the strap so as to relieve the rear end of the lever, when the jaws at once release their hold on the strap, thus permitting it to be moved with much greater ease than in the ease of the old-fashioned buckle using the ordinary tongue, especially where trace and other thick straps are used.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The frame A and lever B, constructed and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The removablestrips e, in combination with the jaw D and lever B, for the purpose of adjusting the jaw, as described.

3. Making the faces of the jaws C and D corrugated or roughened for the purpose ot' holding the strap more securely, as set forth.

L. W. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

D. W. G. OAsTLF., E. P. KING. 

